During Labor Day weekend I lived up to the spirit of the holiday by doing labor: Cleaning gutters, moving furniture, and whining. The whining accounted for the majority of the labor. Speaking of labor, my unwritten rule for employment is to do just enough to keep from getting fired because,
Many items fill this page, which is a reflection of many the activities which rush to cross the bridge prior to and following Labor Day. It is Labor Day for many who reduce the Summer activities and resume a less hectic pace. Certainly last weekend in Aurora there was a
If you have been following Wayne Johnson’s contributions to this publication, dear reader, you will know that he has spent some time in the military. By all accounts, it was a rich and rewarding experience, and he has cherished it ever since. Sadly, the same cannot be said of my
Grandpa, I would like to start by saying I truly enjoy The Voice, but especially Ask Grandpa. You always seem to have very well thought out and very honed, heartfelt feedback to all your readers. Maybe you could share your thoughts and insights into an issue I am seeing all
By Jackie LaVia – It’s human nature to be more inclined to complain and give a bad review than it is to speak up and give a good review. I think YELP, an internet-based service review website, proves that. One-hundred individuals will have a good meal, and only one will
• Police in a small Georgia town tasered a five-foot-two and 87-year-old woman who was using a kitchen knife to cut dandelions for use in a recipe. Police claim they had no choice but to taser the old woman, who does not speak English, but was smiling at police to
“Tea comforts the spirit, lightens the body and adds sparkle to the eyes.” —Shennong In Chinese medicine during the Tang and Song dynasties, the medicinal effects of tea were recommended for curing and preventing many ills. Tea was believed to dissolve fats and assist with digestion. Because of its antioxidant
It has become way too easy to lockdown this Nation. Five years ago, Boston was locked down while police carried out a military-style manhunt for suspects in the 2013 Boston Marathon explosion. Four years ago, Ferguson, Mo., was locked down, with government officials deploying a massive SWAT team, an armored
Here are some important notes and thoughts: • In our back-to-school mindset, it is refreshing to know that there are teachers who put innovation and thinking outside the usual as a part of their calling, not just their jobs. Teachers play important roles. • The Aurora Animal Care and Control
My Uncle Jim and Aunt Jo O’Brien and their six children lived in the Price Hill area of Cincinnati, Ohio. As a child my family visited them and all the children were taken to a municipal pool/playground area where we spent hours having fun. I remember both how hilly the
Have you noticed, dear reader, how the news media have lionized the national-security apparatchiks lately? Persons named Brennan, Clapper, Comey, and Hayes are being transformed into “dedicated public servants” because they dare to criticize president Donald Trump’s foreign policies, particularly where Russian president Vladimir Putin-worship is concerned. We seem to
“Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.” —Benjamin Franklin What a mess. As America has become ever more polarized, and those polarized factions have become more militant and less inclined to listen to, or even allow for the existence of, other
We do live in a wide world. There are many facets to our world if we wander and wonder. If we look around and absorb. There are examples from which to choose: • A 23-year-old woman feeds her desire to be distinctive and live in a world which receives kindness
Second of three parts – Rina Raphael of FastCompany visited Beyond Meat’s analytical lab which seeks to match non-meat with beef’s taste. Her report on the tour in the Los Angeles plant continues: “Later during my facility tour, Daniel Ryan, Beyond Meat’s director of chemistry, works with the ‘E-nose’ aroma
Summer thoughts: • So what if I had read all day? The book was “A Gentleman in Moscow” and I did not want to put it down. In the author notes, I read that he had an M.A. in English so it was no surprise that he used correct English
Grandpa, I live in a house that has been divided into three small apartments. I suspect that when the landlord divided the house, he wired it so that he gets free electricity by tapping into the power of the two rental units. My electric bill is very high for a
Seventy-three years ago (August 6, 1945 and August 9, 1945) the United States unleashed atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and killed more than 200,000 individuals, many of whom were civilians. Fast forward to the present day, and the U.S. military, under president Donald Trump’s leadership,
By Charlie Zine – Editor’s note: Charlie Zine and Chuck Roberts completed an eight-day, 202-mile journey from Colgate, Wis. to Ottawa and finished Monday, July 23. There were two photos on the front page of The Voice last week. Here is Charlie Zine’s focus on the trip. I have enjoyed
Public art often is taken lightly. However, public art can add the touches to communities which brings togetherness, a light touch, and offers a serious vein of accomplishment. Even controversy can be found in discussions of what is art and what is the symbolism? Public art in three downtown communities,
First of three parts Our society will be faced with many decisions regarding our future food consumption. Having been raised on a farm where we produced our own meats and vegetables, it was a seemingly healthy lifestyle. We fed our animals grains and hay which we harvested and then after
